No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.



Join us this Sunday!

May 20,2012

Seventh Sunday of Easter

 

8AM worship in the chapel

10AM worship in the sanctuary.

Fellowship hour following both services. Have a cup of coffee and share your story with us!

 


Watch the Sunday, May 13, 2012 service online:

Want to watch only the sermon? You can view them on our Facebook page!

Just Eating? Practicing our faith at the table

Here is a curriculum to boost food justice and health ministries! This exciting course offered by the Peace and Justice Committee starting April 12 will continue for seven weeks on Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. through the 24th of May. The course was developed partly as a result of the UCC Synod Resolution on Faithful and Mindful Eating, and by Church World Service and the Presbyterian (USA) Hunger Program.

What does it mean to practice our faith at the table? Drawing on Jesus’ story and the rituals of the Christian faith, we will examine five aspects of our lives with food:

The health of our bodies

Food sharing as sacramental

The access others have to food

The health of the earth, which our food choices influence, and

The ways we use food to extend hospitality and enrich relationships.

The titles of the sessions are: Food sharing, Nurturing the body, Hunger, Food and the Environment, Creating Community and Discerning God’s call. Each of us will be given a superb booklet with scripture text, reflections, contemporary readings and stories, and a suggested faith in action step. Each session will last one to one and one half hours

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR COLOMBIA, May 20

Sunday, May 20 following 10:00 worship the Peace and Justice Committee will be offering a short film and program on the tragic displacement of families in Colombia due in part to misguided policies of the US government. This educational and advocacy program is part of a national effort this spring of 2012 by the Witness and Justice Ministries of the UCC, by the Latin American Working Group, and by Witness for Peace. In 2011, over 118,000 Colombians were displaced, and numerous labor leaders murdered. Why? The reasons are many: a fifty year internal violent conflict between government, guerrillas and paramilitary; coca production and the aerial fumigation promoted by US government aid which drives farmers off their land, and palm oil plantation owners which again force farmers off land. Read more...

Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, May 19, 7:30-10AM

You can order up to 3 blueberry or plain pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham, orange juice, coffee/tea/milk. The cost will be $6.00/person, children 5-10, $3.00, under age 5, FREE. The proceeds of this breakfast will go to further the ministry of First Church.

Share Fund


www.sharefund.org

The Share Fund assists Rochester residents in need of financial assistance, supports the inter-faith Soup Kitchen Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5PM at the United Methodist Church, Gerry's Food Pantry (Monday and Friday 1-3PM, Wednesday 10AM-3PM at the Rochester Community Center, and the Community Clothing Shop, Wed. and Sat. 9-3 at the Rochester Community Center.

MUSIC FOR GIVING: A BENEFIT RECITAL, June 2nd

 

Do you like beautiful music? What about supporting a worthy cause? Then come to a classical voice and piano recital given by the students at the Andrea Veal Voice Studio. The recital will be at First Church. The church is donating the use of the space so that all of the money from ticket sales can be given to charity. The charities benefiting this year are First Church Congregational general fund and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. This will be a wonderful chance to hear some lovely music and to socialize with others while giving back to our community! The program will last approximately one hour.

Saturday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m.

First Church Congregational sanctuary

Tickets: $8 adults; $5 students/seniors; under 6, free

Tickets are available at the door or at the First Church Congregational office, M-F, 8am-2pm.

Our Food Pantry

If you would like to donate, we can use the following items: canned juices/juice mixes, canned fruit, cereal, canned meats (Spam), pudding cups, jello, crackers, jams/jellies, peanut butter, baked beans, small containers of mayo/mustard/ketchup, boxed mac & cheese, canned tomatoes, hash, dish liquid, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorant (men/women), toilet tissue.